I just wanted to thank you for the Sprint Consumerist Hotline (703-433-4401). I called today to deal with an issue with my new contract.

I had upgraded to a newer Treo in December and also upgraded my plan (it’s so easy to blow through a text message plan when one is stuck in traffic on the bus ride home). However, when my bill arrived, my new “$5.00 for 300 text messages per month” plan was nowhere to be found, but a charge of $20.40 for an extra 102 text messages (over my allotted 100) was on there.

I called the Sprint Consumerist Hotline. I was ready to force myself to keep my cool (yes, I read all your customer service tips), but it wasn’t even necessary. The woman I spoke with was courteous and helpful. She corrected my plan (without extending my contract) and waived the $20.40.

Thank you, Consumerist. I hit your site all the time and was thrilled to be able to put what I’ve learned to use.

@davere: Agreed. Abuse of these hotlines for trivial matters will make them go away. Executive customer service is much more costly to maintain – if everyone starts using them to avoid regular customer service; they’ll cut it off and make it harder for people with genuine customer problems to get corrective action.

I do have Sprint and I sent my GF to the Consumerist hotline when they kept screwing up her order…whenever I have small problems though, regular customer service is just fine – I’ve averages less than 2 minutes on hold each time. They’re usually not very competent, but they can fix simple problems. This is one of those simple problems.

My wife and I just got new phones with Sprint, we were out of contract and my wife was tired of her old phone. We decided on getting two Palm Centros, but our old plan did not include text messaging or a data service. The data service alone, for the two phones, was about $40 in store. We left the store, called just the normal customer service number, “*2″, and mentioned that the extra $40 would have our bill up in the “iPhone data plan” range from AT&T. Then, found out it was worse, text messages weren’t included with the data service and would be extra. Asked for customer retention, and without any hassle or even raised voices, got unlimited text messages and unlimited data services added to both new phones and our bill is now only $7 more per month – that’s seven dollars.

Apparently the loses in customer retention they’ve experienced this past year has taught them something. Although I did notice on sprintpcs.com that the unlimited text messages wasn’t added, and that we were being charged about $40 for the text messages this past week. Another “*2″ call, and that was fixed. So, they still have some learning to do.

How to get what you want from Sprint (credit for a charge, discounted plans or a new phone, etc):

State simply what the issue is and what you want and why you should get it and don’t be ornery towards the rep. Long, drawn out stories and being an ass doesn’t help your case. The first level of customer care has pressure on them not to give credits and they cannot give away phones. The magic words to get what you want are “I want to cancel my account” which will trigger your transfer to account services where you can get what you want. They will ask you if Sprint is at risk of losing your business and you have to say yes or it’s not a cancel call and they can’t do much for you.

The next part is important – Account Services reps earn their pay by “saving” you which gets them points for their commissions. You can only earn them points once every six months. So if you’ve been to account services in the last six months and been “saved” you are not worth much to them and you might get your credit if it’s deserved, but you’re not getting a free Treo. If you are in the habit of calling Account Services all the time for every little thing you will likely get a cold reception.

Use your trips to the cancellation department wisely and you can get free phones and deeply discounted plans.

When the Sprint consumerist hotline number was published, it was requested that you first have a documented case of trouble with customer service BEFORE you call the hotline – please don’t abuse this service so it’s gone when the rest of us really need it. Thanks.

Im joining the crowd in saying this should have gone to customer service first. I have had Sprint for almost three years and only recently had to call the hotline when after five calls and two supervisors I was at wits end. Please dont abuse this number

like it or not, sprint is finally waking up. people love to hate on their cell provider (shit, their cable, credit card, whatever), but the doors are really opening with this company with their new ceo and the recent firings and what not. if you are a good customer (pay your bill on time, not bitch to cust care every other week) they will give you a new phone at the discount early, give you discounts on your service, all that shit. sure, they may not have figured out cust service until now, but you have to forgive your girlfriend for cheating on you at some point, and reap the rewards of makeup sex.

I had the same thing happen when I upgraded my Treo from 650 to 755. My old plan had unlimited text messages and my new, $10-a-month-more Vision plan did not include any text messages (hmmm, more money for less), but no one bothered to tell me that. The normal customer service was able to remove the added text message charges and set me up with the $5.00 for 300 a month plan (now we are up to $15 more per month), but I must sheepishly admit that I had to let the “bullshit” word fly about 10 minutes into the conversation before I got satisfaction.

For those of you that were wondering, I tried to get Sprint to drop my contract and waive the fee. The lady on the phone said that I could not because when I continue to pay my bill next month, I am accepting the fee change and will be paying the fee still. I told her that that was fine, but I no longer wanted to be held under contract with Sprint. Then she just started repeating herself that by continuing to pay the fee from now on I would be accepting it and not be able to get out of my contract. I then told that I would go and shop around for another wireless company and would return later.

I like Sprint. I don’t have many problems and I enjoy some of the free perks that I get (500 free texts on 2 lines and 10% loyalty discount). I have noticed that while I am shopping around, some of the other companies are a lot cheaper on minutes than Sprint. I guess you have to give up a little to get something else.

Anyways, Alltel looks like they might be getting my business. Mostly due to my fiance works for Alltel and we can use her discount. The main thing about Alltel is that they don’t give in to many of their customers requests and rarely give out free services.

We will see what happens.

The Consumerist phone line was awesome by the way. It rang twice and there was a person. Suhweet!!!